Gulmarg, Sep 27: Advisor to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Nasir Aslam Wani, on Sunday said the BJP is turning back on its own promises regarding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He said the demand is aimed at empowering the people and strengthening democratic governance.
Speaking to reporters in Gulmarg, Advisor Wani, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the restoration of statehood had been promised by the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and Parliament and questioned the BJP’s opposition to the resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
“We fail to understand what makes them resort to uproar and turn back to their own promises made during the election campaign,” he said.
The Advisor said two resolutions had already been passed by the Assembly and the fresh resolution was specifically for the restoration of statehood.
He said the resolution belonged to the House and would remain part of the democratic record as long as democracy continued in Jammu and Kashmir. “This is the House’s property and it will remain until democracy is alive here,” he said.
He further said the demand for restoration of statehood was not for the benefit of any particular individual or political party, but to empower the people of Jammu and Kashmir and ensure that the elected government had adequate powers to function. “We do not want statehood for ourselves, but for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to get them empowered and whosoever will be in the chair should have some power,” Wani said.—(KNO)
